


Good Friends Are Hard to Find

by PattRose



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Cocktail stories, Friendship, Gen, Humor, bar stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-11
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-02-24 23:31:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2600408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PattRose/pseuds/PattRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do Reese and Shaw do when they are off work?  </p>
<p>Eleven months of Person of Interest cocktail stories that you might enjoy. Very short and sometimes fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Friends Are Hard to Find

Good Friends Are Hard to Find  
Person of Interest  
Tria Kanes-A Year’s Worth of Cocktails  
By PattRose

These are all little cocktail stories written for Person of Interest and thought someone might get a charge out of them. They are all friendship and taking place at a bar. I wrote one for each month since January. Enjoy. 

 

It was a day like any other day, but Samantha Shaw was bone tired and she knew that John Reese was too.

“How would you like to join me for a Bomber?” she asked.

“I like drinking a Bomber to unwind sometimes. Sure, I’ll join you. Let’s walk. We’ve been cooped up too much this week,” Reese answered.

“Reese, do you ever get tired of the routine?”

“Shaw, let’s not talk about work for a change. Instead, we’ll just be two people out for a drink after work, even if it’s a shot of tequila dropped into a pint of beer.”

“In that case, my name is Samantha and I have to say, I’m impressed with you knowing what a Bomber is,” she stated.

They walked up to the front of the bar and John opened the door for her. “As long as I’m calling you Samantha, you can call me John.”

They walked in and sat down at the bar and ordered their drinks. As soon as they arrived, both of them, without saying a word to the other one, took their shot of tequila and dropped it into the pint of beer and drank it as fast as they could.

After ordering a second round, Sam looked at John and said, “You look more like a Reese. I’m calling you that for the rest of the night.”

“That’s good, Shaw, because after two of these drinks, ‘Samantha’ won’t flow off my tongue so easily.”

She smiled up at Reese and asked, “We could almost say we’re friends, couldn’t we?”

The bartender brought their next round and Reese said, “Almost.”

*

This is a sequel to Chapter 29: January 29.  
Chapter Text

Shaw couldn’t believe how things had gone wrong that night. If it hadn’t have been for Root and Reese, she and Harold would have been goners. Sometimes she got a little tired of being saved by John Reese. But he didn’t rub it in, and thankfully, they didn’t keep score.

She started walking towards the bar that she usually went to after a hard day. Walking in, she saw Reese sitting at the bar. He was alone, as usual, and looked pretty relaxed. She sat down next to him and smiled, but didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to intrude.

“How would you like to have a Dive Bomber with me?” Reese asked.

He took her a little off guard, since he was a man of few words. “I’d like that, but tell me what it is first.”

“It’s like the Bomber we had a couple weeks ago, except instead of tequila in the shot glass, it’s a mixture of amaretto and root beer schnapps,” Reese explained.

Shaw looked unsure, but despite that, she smiled at him and said, “Let’s do this.”

The bartender fixed the shot glass for each of them and gave them the pint of beer.

Reese looked at Shaw and asked, “Are you ready?”

They took the shot, dropped it into the beer and drank it as fast as they could. Reese was impressed at how quickly Shaw could drink. She had impressed him the last time they had a drink together.

“Would you like another?” Reese wondered, setting his glass down.

Shaw nodded in the affirmative, but said, “I wanted to thank you for saving my ass tonight. You always have my back and I appreciate it.”

“We don’t have to say thank you for anything. Instead, let’s have another drink. Interested?”

Shaw was interested. “Set ’em up, bartender.”

*

John Reese was in a mood and didn’t want to talk to anyone. He walked into the bar, sat down and the bartender asked him what he would like.

John answered, “Something that is going to fuck me up.”

“I have just the drink and it’s called Abuse Machine. Would you like to try it?”

John said, “Hit me.”

The bartender poured tequila, whiskey, sambuca, a splash of Tabasco and a splash of Worcestershire over ice, shook it and strained it into a shot glass. He then handed it to John and said, “Tell me what you think.”

John downed the shot without a thought and it warmed everything in him. He didn’t say anything to the bartender at first and the bartender thought he made a poor choice for the man, but then John said, “Hit me again. I have to forget today.”

“You look like you lost your best friend,” the bartender said.

“I did. Now hit me again,” John ordered this time.

The bartender now knew why John had such a lost and painful look on his face. He would keep them coming for John and make sure that he got home safe when the time came. Abuse Machine was a perfect drink for helping to forget the evening. Too bad it didn’t work for the rest of the time.

*

Sequel to January 29th and February 20th.  
Chapter Text

Shaw saw Reese as he was heading to his car and called out, “Reese, hold up.”

He stopped and waited for her to catch up to him. She was smiling when she got there, so he figured that it wasn’t bad news.

“How would you like to join me at the bar for a new drink? I promise you, you’re going to like it.”

John smiled. “I’ll meet you there. Drinks are on you tonight.”

Shaw smiled back and turned to walk to her car. She didn’t have to say anything back to him because they both knew it was her turn.

When Reese got there, he sat down at the bar and told the bartender he was waiting for someone. The bartender smiled, as if he had a date. “She works with me. Don’t get any ideas.”

The bartender smiled when he saw Shaw walk in the front door. He remembered her from the last couple of times. She walked up to the bar and sat next to Reese.

“Bartender, we’ll take two Flaming Depth Charges and both of our drinks are on me tonight,” Shaw said.

The bartender turned around and got two shot glasses down, filled them with 151 proof rum and then he filled two mugs with beer. He then took the shots, set them in front of Shaw and Reese and lit them on fire and set the beers next to them.

Shaw saw Reese smile and said, “We just drop them into the beer and drink as fast as we can. Sort of like the Bomber or Dive Bomber we’ve shared.”

They both picked up the shot glasses and quickly dropped them into the beer, then picked up the beer and drank it as fast as they could. Reese was always impressed that Shaw could drink it as fast as he did. They both set their empties on the bar, not saying one word to each other.

“We’ll take another,” Reese said.

Shaw saw the questioning look on the bartenders face and said, “We had a tough day today. We need at least two of these just to relax.”

“Works for me. Coming right up.” He began to build the drinks once again and sat them down on the bar when he was ready. After he lit the two shots, he turned away and waited on someone else.

“Thanks for asking me to join you,” Reese said.

“You’re welcome. Drink up, the night is young.”

*

After a long, long week, John Reese was looking forward to a day off. He just hoped it would happen like that. He saw Shaw getting ready to leave and asked, “Would you like to try a new drink with me tonight? Harold, would you like to join us?”

“No, thank you, John. I’ve got things to do here tonight. But thank you for the offer. You two go and relax,” Harold said.

They said goodnight to Harold and walked out of the building.

“Do you want to walk? It’s close enough to get some air and have a break at the same time,” Shaw asked.

“Yes, let’s walk.”

When they walked into the bar, the bartender smiled at both of them like they were friends of his. “I haven’t seen you in awhile. I was worried something happened to you.”

Shaw smiled and said, “Just busy.”

They both sat at the bar and Reese ordered. “We’ll take two A.J.’s Bubbling Brew.”

“Coming up. That’s a good choice for the two of you. Sort of keeping with the beer and shots mixed together,” the bartender said.

Shaw watched as he took a beer mug for each of them, adding one shot of tequila, one shot Southern Comfort, one shot 100 proof peppermint schnapps and one shot of 151 proof rum. He then put them in front of the two of them as he filled a glass with beer. He then lit the shots on fire and told them to pour the beer over it, stir it once and watch the bubbles. “Now, you drink this as fast as you can.”

Both Reese and Shaw picked them up and drank quickly, setting their mugs down when they were done.

“Oh my God, that was some drink. I think that’s the best one we’ve had yet,” Shaw pointed out.

“I think you’re right. We’ll take another one, please?”

The bartender went back to making it, smiling the entire time.  
*

Shaw had called Reese and asked him if he wanted to have a beer with her, so he decided to join her at the usual place. He walked in and Shaw was talking with the bartender and smiled when she saw Reese walk up.

“It’s about time, I thought you stood me up,” Shaw teased.

John smiled and said, “You didn’t give me a time. You just asked if I could come or not. I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Bartender, give us two Hairball’s,” Shaw said, almost laughing.

John’s eyebrow shot up and laughed. “Hairball?”

“Just watch him make it. It’s pretty darn good,” she said.

They watched the bartender make the drink. He took a shot glass and filled it with Irish whiskey. Then he took a Collin’s glass and put half hard apple cider and the other half, Guinness Stout. He took the two Collin’s glasses over to them, set them down and then brought the shots. “Drop the shots in the glass and drink quickly,” he said.

“We know the drill,” John answered.

They both dropped the shot into the glass and drank it as fast as they could. John set his beer down first and said, “That was pretty good. You were right.”

“We’ll take two more,” Shaw called out.

“Is it just me, or do a lot of people have tee shirts on with rainbows all over them?” John asked.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, June is Gay Pride Month. The next drink is for them, all right?”

“Sounds good to me. I’m just glad I wasn’t seeing things,” Reese said, laughing.

*

John was getting very used to meeting Shaw for a drink every week, sometimes twice a week. He didn’t know how he felt about this, but Shaw was becoming a good friend. Everyone could use some good friends. If nothing else, John had learned this from Harold.

He walked into the establishment and smiled his greeting to Shaw sitting at the bar already.

“We have a new drink to try tonight, but it’s on the same track as all of the others that we drink. I thought it sounded good and might be fun,” Sam said.

“I took a cab, so I could have more than one,” John replied.

“We’ll share a cab when we’re done here. I didn’t drive either.”

The bartender walked up and said, “Are you ready for your Mexican Hillbilly?”

John burst out laughing and so did Shaw. “What is a Mexican Hillbilly?” John asked.

The bartender started to build and talk at the same time. “One shot of Jack Daniels and a beer mug filled almost to the top with Corona beer. You then drop the shot into the beer and drink it as quickly as you can. That’s what a Mexican Hillbilly is.”

John and Shaw both did just that. They dropped the shot in and drank quickly.

“Whoa!” Shaw said.

“The Jack Daniels tastes really good with the Corona. I didn’t even know I liked Corona,” John admitted.

“Would you like another?” the bartender asked.

They both looked at each other, smiled and John said, “Keep them coming, we’re not driving tonight.”

“Good thinking, both of you.”

“Someone has to think,” Shaw answered.

John smiled and said, “There we go, working without tools again.”

Both of them laughed and laughed and had four more drinks. When they left, they were feeling no pain. It had been a good night. Harold was right. Friends make all the difference in the world.

*

Reese was sitting at the bar waiting when Shaw walked into the establishment. She smiled when she saw him and walked over and sat down.

“What’s the occasion?” she asked.

“No occasion, we have no numbers and I thought it would be nice to have a couple of drinks before we’re bombarded with them tomorrow.”

The bartender walked up and said, “I have a new drink for you tonight.”

Shaw frowned and said, “We sort of like the bomber drinks.”

“This is a bomber drink. It’s called Peppermint Depth Charge. Just relax and watch me make it.”

John didn’t think it sounded good, but figured he would give it a try if Shaw was willing.

They watched the bartender pour draft beer into a mug and then poured a shot of Peppermint Schnapps and set them in front of the beers. “Just drop them in and drink.”

Both Reese and Shaw did just that as usual and drank very quickly. When they were done, Shaw said, “I don’t know about you, but I didn’t care for that.”

John nodded in agreement and said, “Let’s just have a beer to wash the taste away.”

“Sounds good to me,” Shaw said.

After they drank the second beer, Reese asked, “Would you like to share a cab?”

“That was the plan, Reese. Thanks for asking me along. I enjoy these evenings. We get to relax a little now and then.”

“Everyone needs to relax, Shaw.”

*

Shaw asked Reese if he wanted to go and have a beer after work and John said, “I’ll meet you at 8:00.”

Neither of them had to say where, they knew where they always went and would not be changing. The bartender knew them well and knew what they liked. He didn’t make small talk with either Reese or Shaw. He was a perfect bartender for them both, since neither of them liked talking about much of anything. Sometimes when Shaw and Reese met for beer, they didn’t say but ten words to each other, but it was still nice to get out and just act like normal people now and then. Shaw smiled at the normal reference, making her almost laugh. She would have to mention it to Reese later.

When her cab drove up, Reese stepped out of a cab in front of hers. She smiled at how punctual he was.

“I thought maybe you would be late,” she teased.

“I’m seldom late for anything, you know that much about me,” Reese answered.

“It might be because we missed out on saving the ones we really cared about and now feel the need to never be late and screw up again,” Shaw pointed out.

Reese opened the door for Shaw and she walked in it and they both sat at the bar. The bartender said, “Boy, do I have a new bomber for you tonight.”

“Really?” Reese asked. “Why?”

“Just sit there and wait for your drink.” He walked off and took a bottle of Sake out of the fridge, making both of them look at each other and frown. He poured a shot of sake into a shot glass and filled a mug with beer. He then set the two things in front of each of them. “It’s a Sake Bomb. Try it and let me know what you think of it.”

Shaw watched Reese and asked, “Ready?”

“Ready, set, go…” Reese replied.

They both dropped their shot in their beer and drank the beer as quickly as they could. Shaw was the first one to finish and said, “I could go for another one of those.”

“It wasn’t bad. It reminded me a little of sherry and beer. I’ve had that a couple of times,” Reese said.

They each got another one and drank it down. When they were finished, Shaw said, “Did you guess it was going to be her today?”

“No, I thought it was Miller the entire time. I never would have guessed she was the perp. Every now and then it’s nice to be surprised. It keeps us on our toes, I think.”

“Well, I better get home. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow. Harold asked me to come in early for something,” Shaw stated.

Reese thought on that for a moment and said, “He asked me the same thing. I wonder what he has up his sleeve.”

John let Shaw pay since it was her turn and they walked out of the bar like two old friends. Anyone on the street would have thought they made a handsome couple. Reese and Shaw would have said, “A couple of what?”

They both got into their cabs and went their separate ways. This is how Reese liked it and so did Shaw. This is also why they remained friends, neither of them got in each other’s business.

*

When Shaw came walking into the bar alone, the bartender was quite surprised. As she sat down at the bar, the bartender walked up and asked, “Where is your partner in crime?”

 

“It’s not like we’re attached at the hip or anything. I have no idea where he is.” Which was actually the truth because until they got the new place and new players, everyone was in shock.

“Still want a bomber?” he asked.

“Sure, I’ll take one. What is it tonight?” Shaw asked.

“It’s called a Sambuca Depth Charge. You’re going to love it. I sell a lot of these.”

He turned around and got a shot of Sambuca, drew a beer from the tap and set them both in front of Shaw. He didn’t need to tell Shaw what to do, she knew what she was doing all the time. She dropped the shot into the beer and then chugged the beer. When she set it down on the bar, she looked angry.

“Licorice and beer? Yuck! Please get me a cold beer to wash that down with. That was horrible. I’m glad that Reese wasn’t here to taste it.”

At that moment, in walked Reese smiling and sat next to Shaw. “What are we having tonight?”

Shaw smiled at the bartender and said, “A Sambuca Depth Charge. You’re going to love it.”

The bartender got it for Reese and set it down in front of him. John Reese knew the drill. He dropped the shot into the beer and chugged it down. He made a face that might even have been worse than Shaw’s.

“What the hell? You knew how horrible this was and set me up?” John asked.

“I couldn’t help it. Sorry. The nice bartender is going to bring us two ice cold Samuel Adam’s now. Aren’t you?” Shaw asked the bartender.

“Coming up.” And he was off like the speed of light.

Once they had their beers, Shaw said, “So, do you know when we’re going to be getting back to the old routine again?”

“I’m not saying much, but I believe Harold has found a spot for us. He’ll contact you, soon. Have patience, Shaw.”

“Reese, that’s like telling yourself to have patience. Not possible.”

They clinked their beer bottles and laughed. This was exactly what both of them needed. Some down time, laughing and thoughts of the future.

Shaw smiled when they ordered their second Samuel Adam’s and said, “Remember, this is your week to pay.”

The bartender stood there smiling at the two of them. He liked seeing friends come in and share time with each other. It was no different with these two.

Nothing beat good friends.

*

Root was having a drink at the bar when Reese and Shaw showed up. Shaw saw her first and asked Reese, “What’s she doing here?”

“I have no idea. I didn’t tell her we were having a drink.”

They sat next to Root at the bar and she said, “Let me buy you both one drink. Then I must go. I have things to do for Harold. I just felt like a quick drink.”

“We only drink bomber drinks, Root,” Shaw answered. 

“It is a bomber drink, Shaw.” She clicked her fingers, got the bartenders attention and asked, “Could we have three Shoot the Root’s?”

“Coming right up,” the bartender answered. 

“Don’t you find it odd that we’re having a bomber drink and it’s got your name in it?” Reese asked. 

“John, you worry too much. I know the bartender and he named the drink after me. Simple as that.”

“So, what is in it?” Shaw asked. 

“I can’t believe you don’t already know. The name should really give it away.”

Both Reese and Shaw just sat there looking at Root and Root finally answered, “It’s a shot of root beer schnapps and a beer. You know the routine. You drop it in the beer and drink it quickly. Now do you get it?” 

“We got it, “Reese replied. 

They got their drinks and all three of them tipped their head back and drank the mixture down. Once Root was done, she paid for the drinks and said, “Goodnight, you two. We’ll see you tomorrow. Or tonight, whichever happens first.”

“Thanks for the drink,” John called out as she walked away. 

Once she was out the door, Shaw said, “That was disgusting. I don’t want another one at all.”

John motioned for the bartender and asked, “Can we have two beers with two shots of tequila?”  
“Coming right up.”

Once they got them, they dropped the tequila into the beer and drank as quickly as they could. 

Both looked happy. “This is more like it,” Shaw admitted. 

“I’m in total agreement. I have to go. I promised I would help Lionel with paperwork tonight. See you, when I see you.”

Goodnight, Reese.”

“Goodnight, Shaw.” 

They left the bar after paying and walked in separate directions. They were becoming a little more comfortable in their new roles and with each other. 

But Root was still Root. She was good at her job, but very odd.

*

John walked into the bar and frowned when he saw that Root was sitting where Shaw usually sat. He moved over to the bar and sat down next to her and said, “What are you doing here, Root?”

“I thought maybe you would need some company since Sam isn’t going to make it tonight. I have a new bomber drink to have you try.”

“Fine, one drink and then I have to go.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you don’t like me.”

“Root, I don’t like anyone.”

She smiled and said, “You like Shaw. You’ve been worried about her and with good reason. She’ll be back into the swing of things in no time, John.”

The bartender walked up and said, “Ready for your drink?”

Root said, “We’ll take two.”

“What is this called?” John wondered. 

“Strawberry is the name. You’re going to like it.”

“I think you might be wrong, Root. I don’t even like the name.”

The bartender took one shot of strawberry liqueur and set it in front of a stein of beer. “You know the drill.”

John and Root both dropped the shots in and drank quickly. John didn’t even get the drink all the way down. “This is disgusting. Who puts strawberry in a beer? I didn’t like it at all, Root.”

“It’s festive, John. Drink the rest and see if it grows on you.”

“How about instead, I leave and you pay for these disgusting drinks?”

“They are already paid for, John. Have a nice evening.”

John got up and walked towards the front door missing Shaw more than he ever had. He couldn’t wait for their late night meetings again. He liked Shaw, she was a lot like him. Root on the other hand was weird.

John walked into the bar and frowned when he saw that Root was sitting where Shaw usually sat. He moved over to the bar and sat down next to her and said, “What are you doing here, Root?”

“I thought maybe you would need some company since Sam isn’t going to make it tonight. I have a new bomber drink to have you try.”

“Fine, one drink and then I have to go.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you don’t like me.”

“Root, I don’t like anyone.”

She smiled and said, “You like Shaw. You’ve been worried about her and with good reason. She’ll be back into the swing of things in no time, John.”

The bartender walked up and said, “Ready for your drink?”

Root said, “We’ll take two.”

“What is this called?” John wondered. 

“Strawberry is the name. You’re going to like it.”

“I think you might be wrong, Root. I don’t even like the name.”

The bartender took one shot of strawberry liqueur and set it in front of a stein of beer. “You know the drill.”

John and Root both dropped the shots in and drank quickly. John didn’t even get the drink all the way down. “This is disgusting. Who puts strawberry in a beer? I didn’t like it at all, Root.”

“It’s festive, John. Drink the rest and see if it grows on you.”

“How about instead, I leave and you pay for these disgusting drinks?”

“They are already paid for, John. Have a nice evening.”

John got up and walked towards the front door missing Shaw more than he ever had. He couldn’t wait for their late night meetings again. He liked Shaw, she was a lot like him. Root on the other hand was weird.


End file.
